Mutual Aid Agreements (MAAs)allow for the procurement of resources when needed. Urban forestry should be included in the mutual aid agreements that are made by the municipality. Additionally urban foresters need to be at the table when municipalities/cities negotiate MAAs.

If you manage or are responsible for trees in the urban forest you must have a seat at the ICS table during planning, exercise, and response; not just after the fact.

Have an inventory of trees in your community. Know what you have and for what you are responsible. To effectively manage and address tree related damage you have to know the tree’s composition, location, and condition.

Natural disasters can generate exceptionally large volumes of debris containing trees, toxic materials and other waste. All urban forestry managers must be prepared to cost effectively manage vegetative debris.

Have an understanding of predicted weather events and patterns and consider more recent extreme weather events and how they can impact your community. This will help organizations prepare for and respond to a storm event.